A message from Sandy. There are countless techniques for preventing stress;  yoga and meditation are common and can work wonders to improve coping skills. But who takes a minute during a confrontation at work or a disagreement with your spouse to chant? For these situations, we need something more immediate and accessible.

The speediest way to stamp out stress is to engage one or more of your senses—sight, sound, smell, touch, or movement–to rapidly calm and energize yourself. Everyone responds to sensory input a little differently, so an awareness of your preferences is essential for reducing stress.

Talking to someone who listens: a rapid stress reducer. Talk to someone! Talking about your stress with a calm and balanced listener will make you feel better instantly, so building and maintaining a friendship network is ultimately good for your mental health.

Bring your sense to the rescue. Here comes the fun part. Now that we know that your senses are powerful tools in your stress-busting toolkit, its time to experiment with various kinds of sensory input. Start by slowing down, when you slow down, you learn better and feel better.

Sight: Surround yourself with visual stimulation such as comforting mementos and uplifting photos.

Sound: Experiment with music and other sounds that calm and soothe you.

Scent: If you tend to zone out or freeze when stressed, keep energizing scents nearby. If you tend to become overly agitated under stress, look for scents that are comforting and calming.

Touch: Experiments with textures and with warm and cool temperatures to relax and renew. Play with your dog, feel his warm , soft head against your face.

Taste: Mindless eating will increase your stress and your waistline. The key is to indulge your sense of taste mindfully and in moderation. Eat slowly, focusing on the food, the taste, the texture etc.

Movement: Movement has a sensory effect on stress and acts like one of our senses. Try pacing while on the phone, stand up instead of sitting down while at your desk, or keep a rubber stress ball around.

The power of imagination: Sensory rich memories can also quickly reduce stress. After drawing upon your sensory toolbox becomes a habit, another approach is to learn to imagine vivid sensations when stress strikes. Believe it or not, the sheer memory of your baby’s face, or loyal pet will have the same calming effects on your brain as seeing the photo.

What strong sensation can you have available in your toolbox?